


That's Not the Point

by Impala_Cherry_Trickster



Series: Merlin Prompts [53]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Bandits & Outlaws, Canon Era, Confused Merlin (Merlin), Drunkenness, Fluff, Gen, Gwaine Being Gwaine (Merlin), Hurt Merlin (Merlin), Immortal Merlin (Merlin), Protective Knights (Merlin), Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:00:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25462063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Cherry_Trickster/pseuds/Impala_Cherry_Trickster
Summary: Arthur and the Knights aren't impressed by Merlin diving straight into danger
Relationships: Knights of the Round Table & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin Prompts [53]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706692
Comments: 18
Kudos: 640
Collections: ⚜👑⚜ Merlin ⚜👑⚜





	That's Not the Point

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from Tumblr

‘That’s not the point, Merlin!’ Arthur shouted, and the Warlock halted in his tracks. He was still covered in blood, feeling weary from the fight, and now the King was angry with him. None of the Knights tried to defend him either, stayed silent as Merlin wobbled.

‘Of course it is! If I can’t die, then what’s the harm in me going towards danger?’ His words had a bigger effect than he thought they would. Arthur recoiled like he’d been slapped, the others going awfully pale. Merlin was honestly baffled, they had been outnumbered in the fight. Merlin had taken a bolt that was destined for Leon, knowing that it couldn’t actually kill him. Plus, his Magic was busy trying to defend the others.

He thought that it would be nice, having the Knights aware of his Magic. He was wrong. They had become more protective, had deemed his immortality a burden. Merlin had, to begin with, agreed. But this was a good thing, he couldn’t die.

‘Because you get hurt! We’re Knights, Merlin. We’re trained for this kind of thing!’ The anger was frustrating Merlin, the Warlock hated being lectured. Especially when he’d saved them.

‘So I’m supposed to let you die?’ He asked, and the King fell silent.

‘If you die, Arthur, I can’t bring you back. I… I’d be alone.’ It was his biggest fear, the day that they all leave him alone. The King sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in a gesture that told Merlin he’d overstepped.

What was the issue?

**

The first time Merlin died, he didn’t actually realise. The poison had been awful, had taken effect quicker than he could have predicted, and if Arthur hadn't have gone to find the anecdote, Merlin thought he’d have died.

He woke to Gwen and Gaius hugging, and Merlin had made a joke, forgetting his near-death experience.

It wasn’t until his next death that he realised there was a pattern beginning to form. He’d woken in the woods after sneaking out to track a sorcerer that had been threatening Arthur. A bandit that surprised him, a sword straight through the chest.

He woke up with his face in a pile of leaves, with a raised mark where he’d been stabbed.

Alive.

Merlin was Immortal. With this fact, came a lot of crying. Came Gaius trying to comfort him, and Merlin slamming the door shut between them so that he could try and work out the many emotions.

After that, it made logical sense to jump into danger for Arthur. He had to be slightly careful, the King wasn’t allowed to know that he couldn’t actually die. Not until his Magic had been revealed, and then he told the King he was immortal.

None of the Knights believed him, until Merlin demonstrated by taking a dagger to the chest. He woke up just in time to be lectured, which didn’t make a lot of sense.

**

Back to the current, with Merlin walking sulkily back to Camelot because the Knights wouldn’t speak to him. He still ached from the wound in his side, could feel the skin stitching itself back together. The more he died, the less time it took for him to wake up, which meant he hadn't finished healing.

He tripped over a tree-root, winced as his side burned at the stretch. He placed a hand to it, which came back red.

‘Come here.’ It didn’t leave room for argument, Arthur aggressively pulling a bit of fabric from his shirt to press to the wound. Merlin let him, hissed in pain when he poked at the cut.

‘Need something for the pain?’ So, they were mad at him, but not enough to leave him in pain. Merlin wanted to be angry at the King, to be angry at all of them, but he couldn’t. Not when they looked so hurt.

‘I’m fine.’ He grumbled, snatching himself away and placing a hand to the wound.

**

Merlin finished bandaging himself, deciding it was time to go and apologise to the Knights. He went to the training grounds first, halted when he saw that it was only Sir Leon that was there. The Knight was dressed in just his normal clothes, a sword in hand that was attacking one of the dummies with such aggression that Merlin was shocked. He’d never seen him lose his temper, but it was terrifying.

He wasn’t the only Knight that he found in an odd situation.

Elyan was shut up in his home, and Merlin could hear Gwen comforting him. He decided it wasn’t his place to intrude, moved towards the Tavern.

Gwaine was slumped over the bar, a drink in hand and his eyes filled with pain.

‘You should probably get him home.’ The barmaid suggested, nudging at Gwaine with her foot. The Knight just made a sound of protest, so Merlin came forward to wrap an arm around him. Gwaine’s feet dragged across the floor, an arm heavy around Merlin’s injured waist.

‘S’d been me, Merls.’ He slurred, just as they reached Merlin’s room. It was closer, plus Merlin didn’t fancy trying to lug Gwaine up the stairs. He placed the Knight down gently, but Gwaine’s hands gripped his shirt tightly.

‘Gwaine, it’s okay…’

‘M’sorry, Merls. Don’t want you hurt.’ Merlin sighed, muttered a spell under his breath to knock the Knight out.

Arthur was his next stop. The King wasn’t angry enough to bar Merlin from his Chambers, rose his head when Merlin walked in.

‘You smell of alcohol.’

‘I found Gwaine in the Tavern.’ He explained, took another step towards the King.

‘I… I get it. You’re Knights, and you want to be the ones to protect…’ Arthur laughed humourlessly, cutting Merlin off.

‘You don’t get it, Merlin. We don’t want you to keep running into danger.’ The Warlock halted, the King standing up and moving across to him. His feet wouldn’t move, kept him standing still as Arthur reached him.

‘We don’t want you to see your life as worthless, just because you can’t die.’ Merlin knew, deep down, that dying had become an addiction. That he’d let it get too far, craved the moment where he would be able to save them. Arthur knew. The Knights knew. They could see what he was doing, and it hurt.

He left the room, uncaring that he’d turned his back on the King.

**

Percival found him. An arm wrapped around his shoulders, and Merlin turned into the touch. He let the tears continue to fall, silent apart from his laboured breathing. The Knight didn’t push him for answers, just held him as he tried to keep himself together.

‘Want to talk about it?’ Percival asked, even though the Knights all had a reason to hate him. He kept running into danger, taking stupid risks because he thought himself invincible. Because he didn’t look at those around him, and realise he was hurting them.

‘I… I don’t know when it crossed the line.’ There was no need to explain what he meant, Percival could figure it out. The arm around him tightened, comfort but also the security that he’d been missing for so long.

‘Let us protect you, for once, Merlin.’

**

The next time they went on a Hunt, and inevitably ran into danger, Merlin did not run into it. Every bone in body demanded he do just that, but he’d made a promise to Percival that night, so he did no such thing. Instead, he took a stand behind the Knights, and used his Magic to aid them. Nothing that would put him into harms way, and once they had dealt with the bandits, heads turned to him.

Arthur looked confused. Gwaine looked hopeful. Sir Leon was impressed, which made Merlin duck his head.

Percival just smiled, while Elyan wrapped an arm around his shoulders and ruffled his hair.


End file.
